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Nutiani releases State of Health and Wellbeing in Europe Report - Volume 1

Nearly half of European consumers are concerned about their day-to-day health and as related concerns become top of mind, they are actively seeking out new ways to manage.

Nutiani and IPSOS carried out an online survey of 5,000 consumers across seven countries including France, Germany and the UK. The IPSOS Nutiani Consumer Wellness Research takes a deep dive into emerging priorities in Europe across the full spectrum of wellbeing.

Most European consumers believe it is important to eat a well-balanced diet to prevent major illnesses, but lifestyle challenges prevent them from doing so, according to a recent global consumer wellness study by B2B nutrition brand, Nutiani.

The IPSOS Nutiani Consumer Wellness Research, jointly conducted by leading market research agency IPSOS and Nutiani, global dairy company Fonterra’s health and wellbeing brand, examines the perspectives of 1,800 European consumers from Germany, France and the United Kingdom across the full spectrum of health.

Most consumers (89 per cent) are adopting a holistic mindset and believe good health involves not just being physically well but looking after all aspects of wellbeing. Despite most saying they actively take steps to manage their health, barriers stemming from lifestyle choices are hampering progress.^[1]

Rethinking nutrition for overall wellbeing

Nutrition is seen as essential to overall wellbeing, with 85 per cent of consumers believing well-balanced diets are important to preventing major illnesses. However, in practice, only 56 per cent choose to eat a healthy diet to maintain their wellbeing.

Consumers who choose not to adopt nutrition solutions to support wellbeing goals say they do not believe the health claims made by existing products and perceive them to be too costly, resulting in a preference to rely on their natural diets (38 per cent).

Barriers to action remain for others. Close to eight in 10 consumers expressed that they face challenges in managing their wellbeing. Lack of discipline (42 per cent), cost (28 per cent) and busy lifestyles (20 per cent) are key deterrents.

The pandemic and economic instability might have been a greater concern to European consumers, impacting their motivation to manage their health. Insufficient time, particular when on-the-go or travelling also make it challenging for them to eat healthily.

Prioritised wellbeing areas closely tied with global events

As well as making daily life more stressful,^[2] the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated an existing trend towards preventative health, and consumers became even more focused on reducing the risk of potential diseases to maximise overall enjoyment of life. According to the Consumer Wellness Research, the ability to live life to the fullest (45 per cent) and protection against major illnesses (41 per cent) are now the top reasons for staying healthy to European consumers.

Commenting on the findings, Charlotte Ortiz, Nutiani Global Brand Marketing Manager, says the prolonged impact of COVID-19 will likely have a permanent effect on consumer health priorities, particularly mental wellbeing.

“Consumers are prioritising health and wellbeing now more than ever and are acutely aware of the need for preventative action. The fact that many struggle to manage their nutrition as well as they would like suggests that existing products are not effectively meeting their needs. With a growing desire and interest to manage their health holistically, there is immense opportunity for brands to start delivering accessible and convenient nutrition solutions such as ready-to-drink protein beverages, to support them in achieving their health goals,” Ortiz says.

Dan Luo, Acting Director of Active Living at Fonterra, says the future of health and nutrition will belong to brands that can identify and bridge existing gaps and target unmet needs through innovative offerings.

“We know consumers today care deeply about their nutrition and are looking for simple products they can trust. The growth in the physical, mental and inner wellbeing nutrition market is significant if brands can overcome consumer barriers like convenience and credibility and stay ahead of evolving needs across different dimensions of health,” Luo adds.

About the IPSOS Nutiani Consumer Wellness Research

Nutiani and Ipsos carried out an online survey across seven countries. A total of 5,000 people aged 16 to 70 were interviewed (1,000 each in China and the US; 600 each in Japan, South Korea, Germany, France and the UK). Quotas were set on key demographic and geographic variables to ensure representative coverage. The survey was conducted in August 2021.

The survey is the first in a series of ongoing research by Nutiani to build a comprehensive understanding of consumers and their health and wellbeing needs.

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